Varathron

When it comes to Greek Black Metal, a style that has created its own sonic space in the metal scene, Rotting Christ are often seen as the originators and best of the scene. However I would perhaps contest that, as there is another band called Varathron which plays black metal music of the old style, and are still perhaps one of the best.

Closely tied to Rotting Christ and Samael in the music, meaning, slower, melodic close to old heavy metal, but a progression there-of to something different, Varathron were not around to play fast and hard and beat people into submission like many of the Scandinavian bands. Nay, Varathron eeirily went through their songs with an unerring sense of purpose, slower, creepy songs which can send chills down the spine if listened to at night with only a candle lit; that is what Varathron seemed to try to do. In this I'd have to say they had company with two other cult bands, aforementioned Samael and Finns Beherit.

Formed in 1988, their first recording was a demo titled "Procreation of the Unaltered Evil". It was lauded by a friend of theirs, Dead from Mayhem, as being "pure blasphemic feeling which kills your brain". Second demo "GENESIS OF APOCRYPHAL DESIRE" was released and then an ep titled "ONE STEP BEYOND". This was in 1990, in 1993 they accepted a record deal with Cyber Music Rec and released their seminal His Majesty at the Swamp, which remains to today an absolute classic in the early black metal scene. Walpurgisnacht would come next, after some scares for the band, as nearly all the members had left to different countries. They got their shit together however and that album was released in 1995.

Their next album wouldn't come until 1999 when they signed to Polish label Pagan Recordings, who would re-release all previous material with some bonus tracks and also their newest mini-album The Lament of Gods.

Varathron are ultra cult -- like Beherit, they have never recieved much praise, but those who have heard their music know how great they are. Like I said, the music is slow punishing and evil, very dark well written lyrics about Satanism and old religions and other dark subjects. I would highly suggest finding their handful of albums.